Sheet controlling mechanism



April 7, 1953 c. WILLIAMS 7 SHEET CONTROLLING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet l 7 Filed Nov. 19, 1947 I NY o mm INVENTOR. BY A A MM ATTORNEY.

April 7, 1953 c. WILLIAMS SHEET CONTROLLING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1947 @MHHE INVENTOR- ATTORNEY L. C. WILLIAMS SHEET CONTROLLING MECHANISM April 7, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 19, 1947 a i. n. w 4 o 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY- Patented Apr. 7 7, 1953 sneer GONTRQLLING Leo. G. Williams, Bearl River; N. YL assignor 130,

Dexter Folder Company, Pearl. River, NZ. Y a; corporationof Newyork Application. November 19, 19M; Seriah N10. 7 8&830

r4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to sheet slow-down. devices. or retarders. and while capable of. general. use, is more particularly adapted for embodiment in sheet feeders to enable the latter to feed. sheets accurately at fast speed to printing presses or other machines.

. One. object of. the present invention is, to: provide a novel method. of retarding; the. movement. of cardboard, metal; or. other sheets asthe same;- arerapidly conveyed toward a printing press or other machine for action thereon.

Another object is to provide, a novel method. of etarding the. movement-of. sheets which, through. application of a. frictional drag thereon, enables. large. or heavy sheets to be more. readily and accurately retarded.

Another object is to provide a novel sheet slowdown. mechanism for retarding rapidly moving sheetswithout interrupting the. forward movement thereof and without partaking in the movement of said sheets.

A further object is to provide a novel mechanism for retardingrapidlymoving'large. or heavy sheetsjust prior to. engagementithereof with front registering stops, whereby buckling; rebounding... and damage to the front edges; of the. sheets. is. entirely eliminated and. accurate registration is. obtained.

A still further object isv to provide a novelsheet slow down mechanism which is simple in. con.- struction, and. is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install.

The above and further objects and novel features of. the present: invention will. more. fully ap.-

pear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the. accompanying drawings. It. is to.- be. expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the'purpose of illustration only, and are notintended. as a definition. of the limits of the invention, reference for. this latter purpose being had primarily to the appended claims In" the drawings, wherein like; reference charaeters refer to like parts throughout-the several views, v

Fig; 1 is a; fragmentary vertical longitudinal section ofthet conveyor of a" sheet feeder embodying" sheet slow-down or retarding mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2- is a top plan view of theconveyor and sheet slow-down. mechanism shown in Fig. L with section, of one of. the sheet. slow-downv devicesshowninFigs 1 and.2;

4. is an, end elevation,,partly in. section, of

I thesheetslow-do-w-n device-shown: inF ig. 3, look.-

ing, from the. left. thereof; and.

Fig. 5 is anend elevation of. the. sheet. slowdown. device.- shown in. Fig.v 3;,1ooking; front the. right thereof.

Referring to the drawings. the cardboard or other sheets of similar stiff material aredelivered one.- after another in timed relationv onto. a con-l veyor indicated generally at [0 from a supply of. such. sheets by a sheetfeeder (not shown) and advanced by said conveyor into front registering by stops. I2:,, said sheet. is. side-registered by; a side.

registeringv device (notshowm in a manner well understood in the art,, whereupon stops I2. are

moved upwardly and the registered sheet. is gripped along its front edge grippers (not. shown)- on, cylinder 13 and taken into the print.- ing press or other machine, for performance of the printing ,'or other operations thereon.

As herein shown-, conveyor I 0 comprises atfieed board It which extends forwardly and down-- wardly from the sheet feeder proper and; is. Slip: ported any suitable manner on. side frames: l5. disposed rearwardly of the printing, press or other machines Extending forwardly from the sheetfeeder proper and over feed board M are tapes or belts I 6,. the. front, ends. of whichpassaround antifriction idler'rollers I'l carried by brackets, l8. which aresecured tothe underside, of feed board It and project beyond the; front. edge. thereof. The rear ends of: tapes l6, pass around; a, driven:

roller (not shown) which iscamied'by the sheetfeeder proper; as well. understood in the art, and

drives saidtapes at a high surface speed whereby the successive sheets delivered thereto are rapidly advancedalong feed board M and toward the frontstops l2.

Secured to. the underside of. feed board It and further anchored to; side frames l5 as indicated at l.9,.areside brackets 20 which project beyond.

' thefro-nt edge, o-fsaid. feed'board and the-frontends of tapes (6'. 'S'ecured to the projecting ends of brackets 20 is a transversely extending sheet supporting plate 2! which forms an extension of feed board I4 and projects over cylinder 13 and into close proximity to the front stops [2. The upper surface of plate 2! is flush with the upper surface of feed board It and, as shown in Fig. 1, said plate is bevelled along its rear upper edge in order to insure that the sheets will not be obstrucrted by the plate as they move thereover from feed board l4.

Movement of the cardboard or other similar stiff sheets along feed board M, onto and along plate 25 and into engagement with stops I2 is assured by a plurality of spring-pressed rider wheels 22 which cooperate with tapes l6. These wheels are spaced along a plurality of top rods or bars 23 that extend longitudinally of the feed board above the tapes and serve to prevent upward displacement of the sheets therefrom, as well understood in the art. Top rods 23 are supported in any suitable manner on the sheet feeder proper and on the feed board it. The rider wheels 22 are so positioned with respect to the size of sheetbeing conveyed that engagement of the same with the sheet will be maintained until the front edge of said sheet contacts the stops [2.

It will thus appear that with the construction thus far described, the sheets delivered at timed intervals to the conveyor Hiwill be vanced one after another at fast speed by the tapes l6 and rider wheels 22 along said conveyor and into engagement with the front stops l2. It will be apparent that if the fast moving sheets were permitted to engag t e front stops [2 at such high velocity they would not only rebound and tend to buckle, resulting in poor registration, but the front edges thereof would also become bent, nicked, or otherwise damaged by impact with said stops which is objected to.

In accordance with the present invention, each sheet advanced by the driven tapes I6 is, prior to engagement thereof with the front stops [2, retarded by novel sheet slow-down mechanism. In this manner, each sheet will contact the front stops 12 at a comparatively slow speed, whereby rebounding and buckling f the sheet, and damage to the front edge thereof is completely eliminated, and accurate front registration is ob tained. As herein shown, said sheet slow-down mechanism comprises at least two transversely spaced sets of slow-down devices indicated erally at 24 and 25 (Fig. 2) which are mounted at the front end of the conveyor Hi adjacent stops l2. The slow-down devices 2 3, 25 may as desired, be operated either from the sheet feeder or the-printing press or other machine to which the sheets are fed by suitable operating means which, as herein shown, comprises camshaft 25 that is driven continuously in any suitable manner and makes one complete revoluti-on during each cycle of operation of the feeder and press or other machine. Camshaft 26 extends transversely of conveyor IE beneath feed board l4 and is journalled in suitablebearings in side frames l5.

side frame and projects outwardly beyond-said frame. Roller 28 is maintained in engagement with cam 21 by a spring-pressed rod 33 havin one end pivotally connected to the arm 3| of lever 38, and the opposite end guided by suitable wellknown means (not shown) such as, a stud or post secured in th adjacent side frame it.

Secured to the outwardly projecting end of p 32 is an arm 35 to which is pivotally connected the rear end of a forwardly extending connecting rod 35. The front end of connecting rod 35 s pivotally connected to an arm 36 which is secured to a pin 31 that is journalled in a suitable bearing in the adjacent side bracket 2c and projects inwardly beyond said bracket. Secured to the wardly projecting end of pin 3! is an arm 38 hav ing pivotally connected thereto the rear end of a forwardly extending connecting rod 39. The front end of connecting rod 39 is pivotall connected to the lower arm 48 of a vertically extending double-armed lever M, the upper arm of which is indicated at 42. Lever 4! is pivotally mounted at 43 on a side bracket 44 which is secured to the upper side of plate 2i adjacent one end thereof, the arm ie of said lever projecting downwardly from pivot 43 through the spac between said plate and feed board hi to receive connecting rod 39.

Pivotally connected to the upper arm #2 0f lever 4| is the rear end of a forwardly extending connecting rod 65, the front end of which is p otally connected to an arm 46 that is keyed or otherwise suitably secured to a shaft All extending transversely of conveyor in above and in spaced relation to plate 2|. Shaft 41 is provided with a longitudinally extending keyway 38 (Figs. 3 and 5), for purposes to appear hereafter, and is journalled at opposite ends thereof in suitable bearings in side bracket 34 and in a similar sidebracket 49 (Fig. 2) which is also secured to the upper side of plate 2i but adjacent the opposite end thereof. Brackets 4d and 49 are connected together by a transversely extending tie tub 50 that is clamped at opposite ends thereof in said brackets.

It will thus appear that shaft 41, through the described connections therefor with cam lever 30 and continued rotation of cam Tl, will be rocked ina clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, by said cam, and in the opposite direction by spring-pressed rod 33, to operate th slow-down devices 2 25 once for each sheet delivered to the conveyor iii and advance thereby towards the front stops 12. The slow-down devices 24, 25 are identical in construction and operation and a desoription of one of said slow-down devices will therefore be sufficient for both of the same.

As herein shown, each of these slow-down devices 24, 25 comprises a split bracket 5! which is releasably clamped to the tie tube 59 to enable adjustment of said bracket and parts carried thereby hereinafter described alon said tube transversely of conveyor Ill to various positions to accommodate sheets of different widths Capable of being handled in the feeder. If desired, the slow-down devices 24, 25 may be positioned centrally of conveyor l0 and spaced to accommodate the minimum width of sheet capable of being handled in the feeder or which is to be handled in a specific installation and left in such position for action on all of the sheets from the minimum to the maximum width. Bracket 5! is formed to provide an additional bearing and support for rock shaft 47.

Disposed adjacent bracket 5i and releasably clamped to shaft 41 for adjustment therealong with said bracket is an arm 52 which extends aces, 12a

55 downwardly from said shaft; (Fig; 30 Arm 52 it connected to: shaft. M for rocking movement therewith by akey 53 which. isfixed in said arm andziisslidably engaged: inth keyway 48 in said shaft. Arm 5.211135 thusbe adjusted along shaft. 41 with bracket without disturbin its: operatposition and the. driving connection with said shaft. Carried by arm 52 at the lower free end; thereof is a contact element 5% in. the form: of" a belt which extends through a clearanc hole in. said arm and. is fixed therein by alock nut 55.

Contact element 54 is adapted to engage an adjustable: abutment member 55 in theform. of a screw' which is threaded in a suitable threaded opening in the upper free. end of the vertically extending arm 5! of abell cranklever 58, the other arm: of which is indicated at: 59' and ex tends at right anglesto arm 51; Abutment-memberor' screw 56: is held-in adjusted position by a. lock nut 66" threaded thereon. Bell crank lever 58 is pivotally mounted on an eccentric stud 61 (Figs;- 3 and 5) which extends through a suitable opening in bracket El and is held in adjusted position by a nut- 62 threaded thereon. Eccentric stud 6| provides for adjustment of bell crank lever 5:8 in a vertical plane relatively to bracket dlt'oi accurately align abutment member:v 56'with. the contact element. 54.

Arm 59 of'bell crank lever 58 is. provided in the lower surface: thereof with an annular recess 6.3 (Fig. 3) within. which is slidably' mounted a plunger 64 having. an externally threaded stem 6'5 that projects: through a suitable opening in the upper surface of said arm and has. threaded thereon an adjusting. nut 66 and a: lock nut 61. Axcompression. coil spring: 68' surrounds stem 65 within; recess 63 and has one end engaged with plunger 64 and the opposite end engaged with the: upper wall of said. recess. Spring 68 urges plunger E4 downwardly, andv yieldingly resists upward movement of said plunger for purposes to be hereinafter described. The; downward movement of plunger 64 by spring 68 is limited by adjusting nut 66 which is also utilized to axially adjust said plunger and thereby the tension of said spring.

Plunger 64 is in continuous engagement with. a

a: fiat elongated. sheet engaging friction shoe; 69

which is disposed above and in spacedv relation to: the front portion of the. sheet supporting plate 2.! and extends in. the direction of travel of the sheets into close proximity to the front stops |2-, ('Fig. 1). As shown in. Fig. 3 of the drawings, the front portion only of the friction shoe '69 is substantially straight so that only part of the length of said shoe is utilized to engage: and apply a frictional drag on each sheet passing beneath the same and thereby effectively retard the movement of each sheet as it approaches the front stops l2. The. intermediate portion. of: shoe 69 is slightly inclined upwardly and rearwardly to gradually guide the sheets beneath the straight portion, and the rear end of. said shoe. is further inclined upwardly and rearwardly at a greater angle so that the sheets will not be obstructed. by the shoe asthey move beneath the same- The lower surface of friction shoe 69 is highly polishedso that it is free of. any burrsor rough spots which might impede the normal forward movement ofv the sheets. It will be; understood. that the shape of the friction shoe 69 maybe varied, as desired,. to increase or decrease the contacting areav of said, shoe on. the: sheets;

r- Thefrictionishoe 69 is mounted onbracket 5,1

6 for; movement toward and away from thesheet: supporting plate at under the action of bel li crank lever 58. For this purpose,-shoe 69 is plyotally mounted on bracket 5 by means of ablock H! which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to said shoe adjacent the rear" end thereof and is received in the: bifurcated. lower end of a block H that is slidabl y fitted for vertical adjustment in a groove T2 formed in bracket Block 10' on shoe 69 has secured therein a pin- 13 which projects beyond opposite sides. thereof and is journalle'd suitable bearings block Tl The latter is held in adjusted positions on bracket B t by a screw 14 which extends through aslot 15 formed in said bracket and is threaded inbl'ocls H Friction shoe (is is yieldingly' urgedupwardly and held in engagement with plunger 6'4 by a light extension spring 'lt havi'ng' one end connected to an anchor stud H threaded into saidshoe adjacent the front end thereof, and the opposite end connected to a similar anchor studl8 threaded into bracket 5|. The tension of spring it is less than the tension of spring 68 and is of a degree suilicient to raise shoe 69 and therewith bell crank lever 58 through plunger 64 and spring. 68 to their normal. inoperativepositions shown in Fig. 3, the tension of plunger spring 68 being such that it will carry the weight.

of bell crank 58 without yielding thereto. Accordingly, the bell crank lever 58, plunger Bland spring 63 will be raised asa unit by spring It through friction shoe 69, and will also be lowered asa unit by cam 2'5 through arm 52- and engagement of contact 5t with abutment 56' until shoe 69 contacts the upper surface of the advancing. sheet at which time and then only will plunger 64 yield upwardly so that a uniform pressure is applied on the sheet by shoe 69 and of a degree to impose a. frictional drag thereon. suffi'ci'ent' toslow down the sheet without interrupting the forward movement thereof. The required degree of pressure 'of the shoe 69 on the sheets to effectively retard the same is determined by the size, weight and speed of movement of the sheet, which may be regulated for the different sheetsby adjusting abutment member 56' and/or thetension of plunger spring 68.

Cooperating with friction shoe 69 is a bottom frictiontongue 19- which extends along and rests on the upper surface of the sheet supporting plate 2!. This tongue H is made of a hardened metaLsuch as spring steel, and serves to prevent wearing of plate 2! by the frictional drag of the sheets thereover, said plate being usually made of aluminum or other soft and light metal. Hardened steel inserts embedded in the upper surface. of plate 2! maybe used in place of tongues'lt, or the latter may bedispensedwith 1 if plate 2l' is made of steel or some other wear resisting material. The front end of tongue 19 is bevelled to a feather edge, andtherear end of said tongue is curved downwardly to extend into the space between feed board l4 and plate. 21:

1 and has secured thereto a bracket 89 whichi's.

releasably clamped to a rod or pin 8| that is se cu-red to the underside of said feed board.

In operation, the friction shoes 69 of the slowdown devices 24, 25 are first adjusted relative to the respective tongues 79 so that a clearance space-slightly greater than the thickness. of the cardboard or other sheetto be acted upon is" leftv between said shoes and said tongues when the: shoes are in their normal" raised position, shown in Figs. 'l -and 3, for the free'forward travel of the sheets toward and into engagement with the front stops 12. This adjustment is accomplished by loosening screws 14 and placing one of the sheets between the shoes 69 and tongues 19 and then vertically adjusting blocks 'H and therewith saidshoes until the latter are just clear of the upper surface of the sheet. Screws M are then tightened to hold shoes 69 in their adjusted positions. Plungers 64 are then vertically adjusted, if necessary, by nuts 66 to bring the straight portions of the shoes 69 substantially parallel with the sheet whereupon said plungers and'the arms 51 of bell crank levers 58 will be disposed substantially at right angles to said straight portions. The shoes 69 and associated parts are shown in Fig. 3 in the positions they occupy for action on the maximum thickness sheet capable of being handled.

With the high part of cam 21 in engagement with roller 28 so that arms 52 are rocked rearwardly and shoes 69 are moved downwardly into contact with the test sheet through engagement of contacts 5 3 with abutments 56 and rocking of bell crank levers 58, said abutments are then adjusted in either direction to increase or decrease the pressure of the shoes 69 on the sheet whereby the proper frictional drag is obtained to slow down the rapidly moving sheets as they approach the front stops l2.

Asssuming now that the above described adjustments have been made and that a sheet has been delivered to conveyor H] and is being rapid- 1y advanced by the tapes I6 and rider wheels 22 beneath the raised friction shoes 69. When the leading edge of the rapidly moving sheet is approximately two inches away from the front stops [2, as shown in Fig. 1 by the sheet 8- in broken lines, the friction shoes 69 are lowered into contact with the moving sheet under a uniform yielding pressure and thereby apply a frictional drag thereon in opposition to the driving force applied by the tapes i6 and rider wheels 22 on the trailing portion of the sheet, thus slowing down the sheet and causing the same to proceed slowly toward the front stops 12 under the urging action of said tapes and rider wheels, said tapes slipping relative to the sheet when and while said frictional drag is applied thereon. This frictional drag is effective for approximately twenty degrees of rotation of cam 21 at which time the sheet will have advanced to approximately one-half inch of the front stops l2. Thereupon, the friction shoes 69 are raised clear of the sheet and the latter is advanced by the tapes [6 and rider wheels 22 the remaining short distance at a comparatively slow speed and gently engaged with the front stops l2 in accurate front registering position. The front registered sheet is then side registered in a known manner whereupon the front stops 12 are raised and the sheet is carried into the printing press or other machine by the cylinder l3 for performance of the printing or other operation thereon. These operations are repeated in the order named once during each cycle of operation for each succeeding sheet delivered to conveyor Hi There is thus provided a novel and simplified method of and mechanism for retarding rapidly moving cardboard and other relatively stiff sheets prior to engagement thereof with sheet stops, whereby rebounding and buckling of said sheets and damage to the front edges thereof upon impact with said stops is completely eliminated, and accurate registration is obtained.

While the present H invention is herein illus- 8 trated and described in connection with sheet feeders and enables the latter to feed relatively stifi sheets accurately to high speed printing presses and other machines, and to obtain a high output of accurately fed sheets, said invention is equally adaptable to other machines wherein relatively stifi sheets are rapidly conveyed and it is desired to slow down said sheets prior to performance of one or more operations thereon. Additionally, the sheet slow-down mechanism may be effectively employed to retard the movement of paper and similar light sheets by merely locating said mechanism to act on the rear or trailing portion of such sheets instead of on the front or leading portion of the sheets as herein illustrated and described. Various changes may also be made in the mechanical details some of which have been mentioned in the foregoing description, and in the design and arrangement of the parts illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as will now be clear to those skilled in the art. For a definition of the limits of the invention reference is had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for operating on sheets, conveying means for receiving and advancing sheets in succession along a predetermined path, normally inoperative means fixed against movement with the successive sheets for engaging each advancing sheet in turn under pressure sufiiciently to apply a sliding frictional drag thereon and thereby slow down the same at a predetermined point in said path while permitting continued advancing movement of the sheet at slow speed by said conveying means, and means operative when each advancing sheet is disposed in operative relation with said last-named means for moving said last-named means from a normal position spaced clear of the sheet into engagement with said sheet and for applying said pressure thereon.

2. In apparatus for handling sheets, a constant speed conveyor for receiving and advancing sheets successively along a defining path. friction means fixed against movement with the successive sheets and arranged and operated to engage the upper surface of each advancing sheet in turn and thereby apply a sliding frictional drag thereon to slow down the same while permitting continued movement of the sheet at slow speed by said conveyor, and means operative when each advancing sheet is disposed in operative relation with said friction means for moving said friction means from a normal position spaced clear of the sheet into engagement with said sheet and for applying a yieldable pressure thereon.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a conveyor including a plurality of belts for receiving and advancing sheets one after another along a defined path, friction means held against movement with the successive sheets and arranged and operated to engage the upper surface of each advancing sheet in turn and thereby apply a sliding frictional drag thereon to slow down the same at a predetermined point while permitting continued movement of thesheet at slow speed by said belts, means operative when each advancing sheet is disposed in operative relation with said friction means for moving said friction means from a normal position spaced clear of the sheet into engagement with said sheet and means for thereafter returning said friction means to said normal position and movingsaid friction means out:of engagement with theslowed down and stilLadvancing sheet to release said sheet; for

free;- further movement by saidbelts.

4.; Inca sheet feeder, front stops; meansfor advancing sheets successively toward and into. en-

gagementi with said front stops, and means for sheets; and; mounted for; movement from a-normalposition spaced clear of thesheets: intoengagement with each advancing sheet to apply a sliding frictional drag thereon while permitting continued movement of the sheet by said advancing means and means operative when each advancing sheet is disposed in operative relation with the friction member for operating said friction member to engage the same with the sheet and to release the slowed down and still advancing sheet before its leading edge contacts said said friction member being normally spaced from the path of movement of the sheets a distance slightly in excess of the thickness of said sheets, means operative when each advancing sheet is disposed in operative relation with said friction member for moving said friction member into engagement with the sheet and for applying pres-V sure thereon, means for moving said friction member out of engagement with the slowed down and still advancing sheet before its leading edge contacts said front stops to release said sheet for free further movement by said conveyor into contact with said front stops, and means for controlling said operations of said friction memher.

6. In a sheet feeder, front stops, a continuously driven endless conveyor for advancing sheets successively toward and into engagement with said front stops, and means for slowing down each sheet in turn as it approaches said front stops comprising, a friction member fixed against movement with the successive sheets and arranged to engage each advancing sheet under pressure sufficiently to apply a sliding frictional drag thereon, means mounting said friction member for movement into and out of engagement with each sheet, means including a cam operated arm and a spring-pressed plunger carried by said arm and yieldingly engaged with said friction member for moving said friction member into engagement with each sheet and for applying a yieldable pressure thereon, means for moving said friction member out of engagement with the slowed down sheet to release said sheet, and means for controlling said operations of said fric tion member.

'7. In a sheet feeder, front stops, means for advanoing sheets successively toward and into engagement with said front stops, and means for slowing down each sheet in turn as it approaches said front stops comprising, two opposed friction 10- members normally spaced" apart a' distance slightly in excess of tfie thicknessof the sheets and arranged" adjacent saidfront stops and between which thesheets are advanced, means fix edly mounting said members against movement with thesuccessivesheets, means mounting one of said membersfor movement toward the other of said membersto engage and press each sheet advanced between the. same againstsaid other member such that a sliding frictional drag is'imposed on said sheet by both members while permitting continued movement of the sheet by said advancing means, and means operative when each advancing sheet is disposed in operative relation with the opposed friction members for operating said movable friction member to engage the same with the sheet and to release the slowed down and still advancing sheet before its leading edge contacts said front stops.

3. In a sheet feeder having a feedboard and. conveyor means for moving sheets successively over said feedboard, a fixed transverse shaft mounted above said feedboard, a transverse rock shaft mounted above said feed board, a bracket secured to said fixed shaft, a sheet slow down member pivotally mounted on said bracket below said shafts and extending lengthwise of said feedboard in spaced relation therewith, the space between said member and said feedboard being in excess of the thickness of the sheets moving over the feedboard and passing under said memher, a bell-crank pivotally mounted on said bracket above said slow down member and having one arm thereof disposed in operative relation with said member, resilient means for urging said member toward said bell-crank-arm, a lever secured to said rock shaft and depending therefrom into operative relation with the other arm of said bell-crank, and means for oscillating said rock shaft and said lever to actuate said bell-crank and thereby move the slow down member toward. said feedboard and into engagement with the sheet passing under said member.

9. A sheet feeder as defined in claim 8, wherein the slow down member is in the form of a flat elongated shoe having a front portion disposed substantially parallel with the upper surface of the feedboard, an intermediate portion slightly inclined upwardly with respect to said feedboardsurface, and a rear portion further inclined upwardly with respect to said intermediate portion and said feedboard-surface.

10. A sheet feeder as defined in claim 8, including a spring-pressed plunger carried by the said one arm of the bell-crank and engaged with said slow down member, the spring for said plunger being of greater tension than said resilient means for urging said slow down member toward said bell-crank-arm and into engagement with said plunger.

11. A sheet feeder as defined in claim 8, wherein the bell-crank is pivotally mounted on an eccentric adjust-ably carried by said bracket, said eccentric providing for adjustment of said bellcrank in a vertical plane relative to said bracket,

lever and said slow down member.

12. A sheet feeder as defined in claim 8, wherein said slow down member is pivotally mounted on a block slidably fitted in said bracket for adjustment relative to said bracket toward and away from said feedboard.

13. A sheet feeder as defined in claim 8, including means for regulating the extent of movement of said slow down member toward said feedboard.

11 14. A sheet feeder as defined in claim 13, wherein said regulating means comprises an abutment member adjustably carried by the said other bellcrank-arm and engageable by said lever.

LEO C. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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